Route du Rhum: The Amateurs Are Keeping Pace
© Team Wasabiii
They may not be professional offshore sailors, but they are certainly giving the pros a run for their money! Competing in the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, ten amateur sailors are flying the Class40 flag. Several of them are holding their own remarkably well against an exceptionally strong field. Here are the stories of three competitors whose performances are well worth highlighting.
Benoît Sineau: Keeping Pace with the Front-Runners
A digital entrepreneur, Benoît Sineau has been able to focus on offshore racing for just two years. After finishing third in the 2017 Mini-Transat in the Series class, he is making his Route du Rhum debut this year aboard Ekinox. And the sailor from Morbihan is certainly making the most of his first outing! Currently ninth in the provisional rankings, he spent a long time sailing within striking distance of the leading group and has remained in the top 10 for almost the entire race.
But with the approaching depression, caution is now the name of the game: “My main priority will be to protect the boat, the equipment and myself. Getting through this depression without any damage would be a great victory in itself. Above all, I need to make it to the finish.”
Despite the physical demands and the challenge of finding the right balance between manoeuvres, sleep and eating, the skipper is keeping his spirits high: “So far, we're gliding along, gliding along. All we're missing is some sunshine and flying fish!”
Stéphane Bodin: Dreaming Big
At 57, this thermal engineer has entirely self-funded his participation in the race. After three Atlantic crossings, including the 2023 Transat Jacques Vabre, he is now fulfilling a long-held dream: taking the start of the Route du Rhum single-handed.
And he seems to be savouring every moment! Aboard Wasabiii, Stéphane Bodin is hot on the heels of several professional skippers, including Ian Lipinski, Luca Rosetti and Milan Koláček. “Everything is going well on board, we're giving it everything we've got!” he reported this morning, clearly delighted to be out at sea.
But enthusiasm doesn't mean letting his guard down. With the depression approaching, he is keeping a close eye on its progress. “It would be a shame to get caught out with 40 knots under spinnaker!”
Joao Eidora
Emmanuel Hamez: Third Time's the Charm!
Having already competed in the Route du Rhum in 2014 and 2018, Emmanuel Hamez is back for another Atlantic crossing this year, sailing aboard Viranga, his Pogo S4. A telecommunications engineer working in Africa and owner of his own boat, he is running the project without a sponsor and has set himself an ambitious target: a top-10 finish.
At the time of writing, he sits 22nd in the provisional rankings. There's still a long way to go, and the conditions ahead could shake up the standings. For someone who sees offshore racing as a much-needed breath of fresh air from an intense professional life, this adventure is far from over!
Class40 Amateur Sailors Competing in the Route du Rhum
Benoît Sineau – Ekinox
Stéphane Bodin – Wasabiii
Emmanuel Hamez – Viranga
Yohan Bertrand – Yoda
Ulysse Pozzoli – Renovatec Sailing Team
Jean-Baptiste Ternon – MIC Odyssey
Christophe Rateau – Gustave Roussy
Rupert Henry – Eora
Yanick Rebuffat – Mussolo 40
Yves Courbon - Oceanconnect
